Doing several jumps tomorrow and I really want to give sitflying a shot. I have been watching all the video's posted and man that looks like fun and I think it may be doable. Of course Im going to discuss it with those that know what they are talking about at the dz tomorrow, but I'd like to hear about first attempts and listen to any advice offered here. Im comfortable trying and wondering if there is any reason I shouldnt, such as my low jump numbers?(39)

I only have 260 jumps and the only time I sit fly is by accident. When I try it on purpose, all I do is flip so I call it flipflying. At my number of jumps, I feel like I should concentrate on one discipline. It took me until probably 200 jumps before I wasn't the one messing up skydives and now I'm generally in my slot. I feel like I'm at a rapid incline in my learning curve and I'm going to concentrate on getting good at one thing at a time. I'm not saying you couldn't handle both, that's just what's good for me.

I pretty much do nothing but solo's as it is right now. Sometimes a two way but thats about it. Im really interested in hearing whether I really should wait, as you imply. Im not really in to much of a hurry, it just looks like a blast. But, I respect opinions of those that know. Thats why Im asking.

*edit* I think what Im after here is, If I've got no business trying to sit fly at 39 jumps, then I would appreciate hearing it. Thats what this place is all about.

First of all I don't have that many jumps, so there's plenty more experienced advice out there. I started trying to sitfly around 50 jumps and realized that it is very easy to get disoriented when trying to learn. You can end up all over the sky. So I went back to belly flying for a while. Then about 150 jumps or so I got more serious about it. The difference I noticed in that time was my awareness, both of what I was doing and what others were doing around me. Ask yourself this "At pull time do I know where the group that exited before me is? The group that exited after me? Do you know what direction jump run was in? If the answer to any of these is "no", I'd wait until you had that level of awareness.

As far as learning to sitfly, I found I too was "flipflying"....that makes me laugh, I can relate. I also call it "freeflailing". Anyway, I found myself traveling large distances in the sky without realizing how or why. Thus, always set yourself up perpendicular to line of flight to prevent moving into groups in front or behind you. Maintain your awareness of where they are. When you don't know, time to figure it out. I tried for about 10 jumps of "freeflailing" and just one day I finally "got it". Once I felt it it wasn't that hard at all. Then it was on to learning to fly it rather than just be in a sit, i.e., forward/backward movement, turns, fall rates. I didn't find it that difficult, once I could stay stable. I did several coach jumps that really helped. Helps keep you oriented on what you're doing too, i.e., backsliding, corking, whatever.

Bottom line, maintain awareness. Talk to the guys at your DZ, have your gear checked out for freeflying, get a coach jump.

I haven't got that many jumps myself, so figure out yourself, whose opinions you're going to follow...

Just my .02 (euro) c's

I think I had around 40 jumps when I first attempted sitflying. I was, at first, quite sure that I was going to sruggle for a long time to get it right - since I had had my share of "things not going so well" when I first started skydiving... Also, I've seen people practicing a basic stable sit-flying for tens and tens of jumps - so some might get the basics in just couple of jumps, for others it may take up to 50 or more jumps (then again, some of those people advance later on a lot further - so don't give up!)

Surprisingly enough, it took only around 3-5 jumps to get it semi-stable (meaning I could actually stay in a sit the whole ff). Of course I probably had some serious horizontal movement as well ...

After ten or so Sit-jumps (some standups as well), I asked an exprerienced FF to join me in a 2-way sit-jump. I did a sit-exit and he dived after me and kept a good distance at first (did not trust me that much). We did a couple of more jumps where he actually got really close (no grips or anything, of course) - it felt great and also, having a lot more experienced jumper beside you makes it easier to practice turns, vertical speed (sit-stand-sit) etc. You actually have a reference point helping you to avoid unintentional horizontal/vertical movement.

Of course, first of all, you should be confident enough that you will not (now, what's that word in English? cork "up" / plug ? ) "get unstable thus causing a serious drop in the vertical speed", which is not good. Just to be sure (and probably the experienced FF will just do that) the other FF (exprerienced) should stay away from the airspace directly above you (see corking... ).

Oh, and about the line of flight etc. as some other people pointed out - you should be able recognize it before practicing sit-flying. Also, stop practicing high enough (not 4000ft, more like 5500 or something)!

I have 310 jumps and I have flown both disciplines for as long as I have jumped. I have total control in sit-fly and I can handle a head-down some what. Belly fly I'm OK also and the last championship I went to, me and my team mate did 12 points on a 2 way, witch is low for a 2 way but hey I dont train that much and it was just for fun. My point is..... I know It will be harder for me to get really good in 1 doing it this way but my idea is to have fun and when my belly flyer friends are in the dropzone I belly jump, when my freeflyer friends are on the dropzone I freefly. Everyone thinks difrently and does it difrently. You decide. But in question to the number of jumps. I would say go ahead.

why not pay a coach to go up with you for the first jump or 10? It will be safer (you won't have much of an idea if you are tracking across the sky by yourself) and he will be able to debrief you with a video most likely - great for learning

My first sitflying experience was by accident as well. I didnt put enough muscle into a front flip and ended up in what I thought to be a good sitflying position. I was pretty stable and just decided to go with it for awhile instead of leveling out. I dont think it would be too difficult to try again.

Well thanks for all the input. Gave me a few things to think about. Ended up doin a two way, then a solo with some real hard tracking. BEAUTIFUL day in Taft. I love the partly cloudy weather, fell through this really big, white fluffy thing, a new experience.

OMG most of my experience and learning has been protracted over my 54 jumps, and some has been with a coach and most has been on my solo jumps.

I'm usually last out of the plane, opening relatively high (5000ft.) and flying on my belly 75% of the time. So there's less for me to worry about (like who's above me -- no one).

Kim at my DZ (SoBe) has often been the one to spur me to try new things. I'll be in the plane and she'll ask me what I'm gonna do on this skydive, and I'll be like, "*shrug* Idunno, practice the turns and barrel rolls and loops and tracks that I've been doing, I guess."

So she was the one who first told me to try barrel rolls, and she was the one who first told me to try standing up. I tried standing directly from my belly by tucking like I was starting a back loop and then pushing my feet down (like she said). Boy, you never saw someone cork so wildly!! I did manage on one or two jumps to stand for a moment (like literally three seconds) and it was cool feeling that downward acceleration!

Then I found out that I should learn to SIT-fly as the basis for so much more. So last weekend I began trying it, and lo and behold, it happened pretty easily. I won't say that I'm in great control, or that it looks pretty, but I first did half a back loop, put myself butt-down, and then gradually brought my heels down under me, arms out and back. If there were video, which there ain't, it'd look like I'm for the most part, sit-flying. Yes, altitude awareness is key. I remember looking over and saying, "SIX? I better get back on my belly!"

I think that the advice I've seen here seems pretty good. Check with a coach for the final word, and shell out the money for a few coached jumps. They're worth it, all the way. Have a blast!

P.S. I bought Brian Germain's (Big Air Sportz) book and video pair, "Vertical Journey." They're great fun, in addition to being very informative on the subject of freeflying safely and happily. A bargain I picked up at the SoBe boogie last week, for $15 each. (hard-to-beat price)

Absolutely try sit flying! With 39 jumps gotta presume you're stable, in control and able to roll over into belly position. Pay for someones slot and have them give you some instruction and go out with you for critique. Its best to have a Dytter or Pro Track as veiwing your altimeter will be very difficult/impossible when in the sit position (until you learn balance and can shift your arms). Otherwise, you'll get into a sit fly and have to bail early to check your altitude.

On my second jump, I had somewhere I wanted to get to and I gotta tell ya, I have practiced the tracking deal but this was different. I think I found what Im gonna be playin with for awhile. I was haulin ass, totally different than before. And I threw a barrel roll in and yeehaaw Seriously though, I thought what I was doing before was tracking but I think I learned something on that last jump. I think it was mostly concentrating on my legs, Im gonna have to find out next time but it felt like something "clicked" on that jump.

I'd like to encourage you to become a really fine belly flier before you go inverted or upright on a regular basis! Also, get some coaching from experienced free/sit fliers. It will take awhile to learn and you'll have to commit to many consecutive jumps to really do it. Lastly, but maybe the most important issue: IS YOUR RIG FREEFLY FRIENDLY? Ask a rigger. You can get into very serious trouble at the higher speeds if your rig is not tight. Purple Skies, D.

When in the sit position and you're starting to get unstable, pull your legs in under you while keeping your arms out. That will keep you vertical. Then try again putting your legs out, pulling them in again when they want to flip you over. If you can at least stay vertical doing that, your legs will eventually find their stable spot.

"Happiness is knowing your hose is drained and in a safe place." Plato